Courtenay hostel property scene of another suspicious fire
A popular hostel property in downtown Courtenay, B.C., that was badly damaged by fire in 2019 has been hit by an arsonist again this week.
Fire crews received multiple 911 calls about a vehicle on fire outside of the Cona Hostel on Anderton Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday.
“When I arrived the bus was fully involved and we had the possible exposure of the hotel,” said Courtenay's deputy fire chief, George Seigler.
The fire was in a bus on the hostel grounds and crews were able to prevent the flames from spreading into nearby trees and the adjacent building.
Seigler said the vehicle is a write-off and the fire is considered suspicious.
Milo Yakibchuk lives across the street from the hostel and says he spotted the fire on his security camera.
“I came running out to see what was going on," Yakibchuk said. "I thought it might be the building set ablaze again for the third time but it turned out it was the bus this time.”
Fire crews received multiple 911 calls about a vehicle on fire outside of the Cona Hostel on Anderton Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday. (CTV News)
Yakibchuk says he saw a man with a shopping cart near the building who left prior to fire crews arriving. The man was back again at 6 a.m. Friday when another fire was lit inside a doorway.
He says he and others who live in the area are having growing concerns about the building.
“Unfortunately there was another incident a couple of months back where garbage got set on fire," he said. "It took getting the whole fire crew out here to get that out. The third time is the bus now. It would be nice if it was either levelled or rebuilt and not let it sit like this for too much longer."
The first fire in the hostel in March 2019 displaced a dozen tenants and caused the closure of the business.
“The hostel has been vacant since March of 2019, definitely a concern," Seigler said. "We’ve got homeless in and out of the city and with the winter now it’s definitely a place to stay warm."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.